New National Nature Reserve created in Mid Wales

Mid Wales cultural centre becomes Wales' newest National Nature Reserve

March 2013. Gregynog, near Newtown, is to become Wales' newest National Nature Reserve (NNR).

Gregynog is a large country hall in the village of Tregynon, near Newtown. Owned by the University of Wales, the Hall is surrounded by 750 acres of grounds. The NNR designation confirms the estate of Gregynog as one of Wales' most important sites for ancient parkland and wood-pasture habitats, veteran trees, and nationally important lichens, insects, and other wildlife, supported by these rare habitats.

Dr Maggie Hill, CCW's Director for South and East Wales said: "Gregynog is designated because of the rich mosaic of parkland and ancient woodlands in the grounds of the hall. Gregynog has one of the largest examples of ancient woodland in Wales, aptly named the Great Wood. Some of the oak trees here are over 350 years old.

"But it is not just the trees themselves that are important; rare lichens cover the bark of the gnarled ancient oak and ash trees. One of these is the lichen Lecanora sublivescens which can be found on the sunlit tree trunks at Gregynog. This species is scarce on a world scale - and is only known to be here in the UK and in Southern Sweden."

Read on:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Gregynog.html